Guitar playing simplifier



Oct. 4, 1938.

H. E. ADAMSON 2,132,281

GUITAR PLAYING SIMPLIFIER Filed Feb. 25, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l LL-q f5 f4 HE; mmm

06f. 4, 1938. H, EI ADAMSON 2,132,281

GUITAR PLAYING SIMPLIFIER Filed Feb. 25, 1957- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fda/111.9011

@CVTM/ Patented Oct. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an attachment for stringed musical instruments, more particularly guitars, and it aims to provide a novel means adapted to t the neck of the guitar, to be used t'o make the changing of chords faster and easier. s The attachment is particularly advantageous for those having a scant knowledge of music and those having short or stiff lingers. The attachment oiers all necessary chords for playing in the four keys of C, G, D and A. The invention overcomes the slow, inaccurate changes at present depending upon one finger of the operator, and requiring such nger to assume awkward positions. It also avoids the so called fuzzy tones.

The more specific objects and advantages will 15 become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings:

20 Figure 1 is a plan view showing the attachment applied to the neck of a guitar;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the parts of Figure 1, with the top of the attachment removed and taken substantially on the plane of 25 line 2 2 of Figure 4;

Figure 3 is a horizontal view in plan looking down upon the breakers and taken substantially on the plane of line 3 3 of Figure 4;

Figure' 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a detail section taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 3, and

Figure 7 is a detail section taken on the line 1 1 ol' Figure 3.

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, a stringed musical instrument has been conventionally shown by way of example, specically at I representing the neck of a guitar having frets II thereon beneath the usual strings I2.

'I'he attachment comprises a suitable metallic or other hollow box or casing I3 which is disposed 45 over and above the strings I2. 'Ihe cover I3a of said casing is preferably removably fastened in place by means of screws I3b. Said casing at opposite sides thereof has hooks I4 which are detachably engaged by the eyelets I of resilient balls I6, extending under the neck I0 and being joined at terminal hooks I1, by a. detachable contractile coil spring I8. Lugs I9 may be provided on the bails to engage the top of the neck to aid in positioning the attachment.

Various breaker members are provided at 2D, each of which is manually depressible by the usual linger which controls the chords. As best seen in Figure 3, the breaker members are variously shaped according to the strings which they are adapted to engage for specic chords. Where the breaker members engage the strings, they are provided with hammers or shoes 2 I, the number varying according to the particular strings which are used for the chord. Each breaker member has a vertical stem 22 slidably disposed in the lower and upper walls of the casing and at the upper ends, they carry keys 23 which may 5 be screw threaded or otherwise fastened thereto. The stems 22 at their lower ends, may detachably screw into the breaker members or be otherwise attached thereto. Said breaker members and the stems, are also variously shaped, in order to provide clearance for the operation of the different parts.

Rising from the breaker members and slidably through the bottom wall of the casing, are pegs or pins 24, and expansive coil springs 25 surround the same and abut the lower wall of the casing and heads 26 on such pegs, the springs functioning to urge the breaker members upwardly and into contact with the undersurface of the lower wall of casing I0. l Obviously, the attachment may be made in various sizes and designs, according to the particular instrument or instruments to be played and that other changes may be resorted to within the :spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my inventionz- An attachment of the class described comprising an elongated, hollow box-like casing, stems slidably mounted perpendicularly on the casing, breakers carried by the stems and normally abutting the undersurface of the casing and movable 40 by certain of the stems into contact with the strings of a musical instrument, said certain of the stems extending through and above the top Wall of the casing, other stems extending through the bottom wall of the casing and terminating 40 within the casing, and springs within the casing surrounding the last mentioned stems and abutting the same and the bottom wall of the casing and urging retraction of theI breakers.

HERSCHEL E. ADAMsoN. 

